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Blowing-down sight glass

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Fizz
Fizz Member Posts: 547
in Strictly Steam
WM-SGO3, from 80's, with dirty sight glass half-way. Want to loosen petcock to blow-down, but not sure what to loosen. There's a nut similar to my 2000 SGo-6, on bottom of assembly, but also a detailed-like attachment on nut-do I turn nut, or other attachment?

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  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,576
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    If you want to drain the sight glass regularly, replace the pet clock with a quarter turn ball valve, and some piping to accommodate a bucket to catch the dribbles.
    My experience with those petcocks has been: once open-never close!—NBC
  • Dan_NJ
    Dan_NJ Member Posts: 247
    edited January 2018
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    Something like this might work? I was surprised to find non-brass friction washers in my sight glass assembly too, since replaced, and this setup with ball valve now in place and working well:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z8v1YOQcM4
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,737
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    nicholas bonham-carter said:

    If you want to drain the sight glass regularly, replace the pet clock with a quarter turn ball valve, and some piping to accommodate a bucket to catch the dribbles.
    My experience with those petcocks has been: once open-never close!—NBC

    This 1000 times. I did this after seeing @Steamhead and @Gordo doing it on their installs.

    Makes it super easy to keep it clean.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
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    Here is a quick video of a sight glass blowdown valve in action.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWaHRD-6bmQ
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • Fizz
    Fizz Member Posts: 547
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    Excellent advice, thanks guys!

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